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Moving into a new home is an exciting time in anyone’s life. Unfortunately, it can also be a hectic and stressful time. Taking the time to complete a few tasks before you completely move into your new home can help make things a little bit easier and alleviate some of the stress you may feel, while also preventing other problems in the near future. Here are five tasks you should complete before you move all the way into your new home.

SET UP YOUR UTILITIES

As soon as you find out when you will get the keys to your new home, you should be scheduling turn-on services with your local utility companies. The last thing that you want is to go to move into your home, only to find out the electricity is off or you have no running water. Some of the utilities you may want to schedule services with include:

  • Your local water company
  • The electric company
  • The gas company
  • A garbage collection company
  • An internet service provider
  • A cable or satellite company

If you are still trying to sell the house you currently reside in, or are going to continue to live there while you make renovations to your new home, you will need to leave your utilities on at that location. If that is the case, do not request to transfer your services. When you request to transfer services, they will turn your utilities off at the old address and on at the new address. You will need to explain to the utility service that you own two properties and need utilities on in your name at both locations.

CHANGE THE LOCKS

Once you take possession of your new home, you will want to change the locks or have the existing locks re-keyed. Unfortunately, you do not know who had keys to the existing locks. The old owners may have given you their copies, but their friends and relatives may still have keys. Changing the locks helps to secure your home, allowing you to control who has access and keep your belongings safe when you decide to move them in.

CALL IN A PEST CONTROL COMPANY

Another thing you should do before moving all the way into your new home is to call in a pest control company. You may not see pests, but they may be hiding behind the walls, in cabinets, or in your attic, especially if the home was vacant for any period of time. Calling in a pest control company before you move furniture and people in can be beneficial. The pest control company can see the walls without any furniture obstructing their view, helping them to see and treat where the pests may be living. They can also use stronger chemicals to get rid of the pests faster if your family and pets are not yet living in the home, making your home completely bug-free before you move in.

CLEAN & PREP YOUR HOME

Some home improvement and cleaning projects are easier to complete when your belongings are not yet in the house. Before you move your belongings in, consider deep cleaning the home, installing cabinet liners, completing any painting projects, steam cleaning the carpet and tiles, and replacing the light bulbs. When your home is empty, you can complete all of these projects without having to move furniture around or empty out drawers and cabinets, making it easier and faster.

INSTALL WINDOW TREATMENTS

The last thing you will want to do before you move into a new home is to install window treatments. Installing window treatments may not seem like something on your to-do list, but there are many benefits to doing it before you move in. First off, it is easier to hang window treatments when you don’t have furniture that may be impeding your ability to access the window. Secondly, hanging window treatments gives you privacy. You don’t want your neighbors to see what you own and what you are doing as you first move into a home. And lastly, window treatments can help to regulate the temperature in your home, helping to decrease your energy usage. And since moving can be expensive, any money saved during a move is a positive.

When you buy a new home, you may be in a hurry to move into your home and begin living your new life. However, being patient and taking the time to complete certain tasks before you move in can make the entire process go smoothly. Taking the time to set-up your utilities, change the locks, call in a pest control company, clean and prep your home and install window treatments before you move in can all be beneficial.

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